Circles in the Sand
by jaded river hussie
Summary: Flirtation and honesty. DesmondClaire friendship with hints of something more. Set maybe about a month after 3.03 Further Instructions.


**Title:** Circles in the Sand

**Rating:** K+

**Pairing:** Desmond/Claire, implied Charlie/Claire and Desmond/Penelope

**Disclaimer:** _Lost_ is not mine; neither are its characters. They're property of JJ Abrams, etc., ABC, and Disney.

**Summary:** Flirtation and honesty. Set maybe about a month after 3.03 Further Instructions.

"_**Cold wind, tide move in**_

_**Shiver in the salty air**_

_**Day breaks, my heart aches**_

_**I will wait for you right here."**_

_- Circle in the Sand, Belinda Carlisle_

Claire wasn't exactly sure why she was lying on a blanket on another section of the beach, away from camp, tanning. All she knew was that Sun had held Aaron as she had assured her that she'd look just fine in a bikini, not that anyone would be around to see, and that the peace and quiet would do her good.

She supposed that Sun had been right. It was nice to just lie out in the silence and the sun. Granted, the bikini was a bit more revealing than she would've liked but it had been one of Shannon's. Turquoise and rhinestones.

Desmond walked briskly through the jungle. He needed quiet, or at least, less chatter. It hadn't taken long for him to miss the solitude of the hatch. The one thing he did appreciate about the world outside of the hatch was the eye candy. His thoughts still wandered to Penelope; his heart still ached when he thought of her. But she no longer haunted his dreams nightly. No, like any hot-blooded man, he'd begun fantasizing about women on the island - one in particular.

The ocean crept into his view and his pace slowed. He leaned against a tree and let his eyes roam. They landed upon a familiar figure. He straightened up and walked further into the clearing, taking in the sight.

Claire. There was a goodness about her that made him long for his days of youth before he'd started making stupid choices. Then there were her eyes. She'd look at him and he'd want nothing more than to get that English dolt out of the way and make her his.

He watched her turn over onto her stomach, the waves of her long blonde hair barely contained in a messy bun.

He should go. He should turn around, walk back through the jungle, and go back to the camp. Or he could sit at the edge of the crater that had once been the place he'd lived.

_Or you could go over there and shag her silly,_ a voice in his head said, a smirk forming on his lips. Thoughts began running through his head. Naughty thoughts. _Very_ naughty thoughts that he knew he shouldn't be having about this girl. But oh the things that he'd do to her if she ever let him.

His eyes traveled over her body again and he closed his eyes, ingraining the memory into his brain.

He opened his eyes and sighed quietly, taking a step back, and breaking a twig. He stilled, hoping that maybe she hadn't heard.

Claire's eyes flew open as she scrambled onto her knees, frantic, her memory turning to her abduction by Ethan. Her eyes scanned the beach for a possible weapon of some sort as she called out, "Who's there?"

Desmond stepped out onto the beach, "I didn't mean to scare you."

Relieved that he wasn't an Other, Claire relaxed. After a couple of seconds her eyes grew wide as she remembered that she was nearly naked. She gasped slightly and shrank down, pulling the blanket up and wrapping it around her, over her shoulders, and held it closed with one hand.

Grinning, he cocked an eyebrow, "Bit shy?"

Claire blushed, "Um, more self-conscious than anything. I did have a baby three months ago. It's a lot of weight to get rid of."

Taking a few more steps, "If ya don't mind me saying, you looked just fine from where I was standing."

Claire blushed harder, looking down, "Well, thank you."

Desmond sat down several feet away from her, "Don't thank me. Beauty like yours comes from the Heavens; keeps me believing."

Claire looked up at him, ready to downplay his compliment, but she saw his eyes and something in them that she'd seen before over the last few weeks and had always dismissed. It was desire and it was intense.

Charlie never looked at her like that. She'd begun to wonder if he thought of her as anything other than someone to help take care of and protect. He'd spent weeks insinuating himself into her life and trying to worm his way into her heart and for what? All they did was cuddle and kiss. Sometimes she wanted more than cuddling and kissing.

She was a woman _and_ a mother. And she was stronger than Charlie thought. Tougher. Smarter. Sexier – well, at least, it seemed Desmond thought so. Maybe not.

It wasn't as if any other men on the island were interested in her.

When Desmond looked at her, it ignited something inside of her – something that made her uncomfortable. She hadn't felt lust since before she'd found out she was pregnant; before she'd become a single mom. She had a responsibility and she couldn't afford to do anything foolish – no, not while stuck on this island. Temptation was not something she could give into.

Claire tore her gaze from his and found her words, "I don't think I'm that beautiful."

Desmond looked out at the ocean, "You make me forget things that I never wanted to forget."

Claire's jaw dropped slightly, stunned, and she struggled to think of something to say. She looked down at the sand.

After a minute of silence, Desmond spoke, "I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable."

Claire glanced at him, "You haven't. Much. I just…I have Aaron."

"And Charlie," he added for her, his gaze falling on her again.

She sighed softly and met his eyes, "Yes, and Charlie."

He nodded and looked back at the waves, "Right."

Claire frowned. "We're not really together, you know. He's just always there. And I got used to him and Aaron seems to have taken to him so now it's like he wants to play house but he doesn't _really_ want to play house. He wants to be with me but he doesn't _want_ me."

"Do you want him?"

It wasn't something she'd really thought about. "I don't know."

He looked at her, "What do you know, Claire?"

She looked out at the ocean, thinking. "I know that I want the best for my son; I don't want him to have to grow up here. I know that I'm tired of people treating me like I can't take care of myself – I can. I know that I don't want to die on this island. I know that too many people have died since our plane crashed and I shouldn't get too emotionally attached to anyone."

Desmond looked up at the sky, "You should also know that if ya want to make it back to camp before it rains, you should start now."

Claire saw the storm clouds beginning to roll over the horizon, "There goes my tan."

Desmond smiled as he stood, brushing the sand off the back of his pants. He walked over to Claire and leaned over, offering her his hand. She returned his smile as she took his hand, still holding the blanket closed over her chest, and he helped her to her feet. Their eyes locked. Still holding her hand, he reached up and gently tugged on a loose strand of her hair before tucking it behind her ear. Claire closed her eyes, steadying herself.

"We can't," she said softly, opening her eyes.

"I know." He leaned closer to her and brushed his lips against her cheek and whispered into her ear, "But one day we will."

The tension broke when he pulled back and gave her a devilish grin; Claire couldn't help but to laugh.

She tightened her grip on his hand slightly and began to pull him down the beach. She looked at him over her shoulder and tossed back, somewhat flirtatiously, "In your dreams."

"Always," he said, waggling his eyebrows at her as he stepped into stride beside her.

She feigned shock, "Pervert!"

"I never said that I wasn't."

Claire dropped his hand and swatted him playfully on the shoulder as they continued walking back to their camp.

He chuckled, "Do ya think Charlie's head'll explode if he sees us together?"

_**Finis **_


End file.
